Alternative Mexican band Cafe Tacuba is the leading nominee for the ninth annual Latin Grammy Awards, garnering six nods including album of the year (for “Sino”) and song of the year (for “Esta Vez”).
Juanes netted five nominations for his album “La Vida…Es Un Ratico” and his song “Me Enamora.” His producer and fellow recording artist Gustavo Santaolalla garnered four nods for production credits for Cafe Tacuba and Juanes and two nods with his own group, Bajofondo.
Andres Calamaro, newcomer Kany Garcia and Mexican alt-chanteuse Julieta Venegas earned four nominations each, while Gloria Estefan, Victor Manuelle, Soraya Moraes, Ximena Sarinana scored three.
The nominees lean toward Latin rock and alternative music, genres that, with few exceptions, have seen sales flounder in the United States. “Sino” has sold 23,000 copies here, according to Nielsen SoundScan, although Cafe Tacuba is popular in many Latin countries.
The Latin Grammys also placed special attention this year on new acts, with promising artists like Kany Garcia and Ximena Sarinana getting multiple nods. Both belong to a new generation of female songwriters with distinct sounds and personalities who are also garnering commercial success.
Only one regional Mexican act, Vicente Fernandez, was present in the four main categories, with his album “Para Siempre” contending for best album. Nominees in the best new artist category include Monica Giraldo, who won a Billboard New Talent showcase competition at the Billboard Latin Music Conference in 2007.
The Latin Grammys will air live on the Univision network from the Toyota Center in Houston on Nov. 13.
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